This study is following adult patients with serious burn injuries to better understand how their bodies respond to treatment and recovery. Researchers will collect small amounts of blood and tissue samples, along with information already recorded in the medical record, such as vital signs, lab results, and details of surgeries or complications. The goal is to identify patterns that may help predict who is at higher risk for infections or other problems after a burn injury. This information could lead to new tools, including computer-based models, to improve burn care and outcomes in the future. Participation involves providing samples and allowing researchers to review medical records during the hospital stay and up to one year after discharge.

This is a prospective observational study of adult patients with significant burn injuries. The purpose is to learn more about how the body responds to burns, treatment, and recovery, and to identify factors that may predict complications such as infection or sepsis. By studying patterns in clinical information, blood samples, and tissue samples, researchers aim to develop computer-based models that can improve diagnosis and guide future treatments.

Patients who are 18 years of age or older with burn injuries involving more than 10% of their body surface area may be eligible. Participants will be asked to give written informed consent before joining the study. Enrollment will occur at several major burn centers in the United States. About 80 patients are expected to participate.

During hospitalization, small blood samples will be collected at scheduled times, and whenever possible, these will be drawn during routine clinical bloodwork to reduce the number of needle sticks. The total amount of blood taken for research will not exceed safe limits (about 125 mL over the entire study period). When surgery is required for wound care, small pieces of tissue that would normally be discarded may also be collected. Information already being collected as part of regular care-such as vital signs, lab results, medications, and details of surgeries and complications-will be included in the research database.

Participants will be followed through their hospital stay and contacted at 6 and 12 months after discharge to check on recovery and health status. All personal health information will remain confidential; data used for analysis will be de-identified.

By combining biological samples with clinical information, this study will create a detailed picture of recovery after burn injury. The results may lead to better ways to detect complications early, personalize treatment, and improve long-term outcomes for burn patients

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and female ages 18 years and older (maximum age of 80 years old) with burn injury or related illness requiring surgical care or treatment in a critical care or emergency setting who are being cared for at an SC2i-member clinical care facility (Emory/Grady, USF and USAISR) will be considered for study.
• Burn Injury >10% TBSA
• Ability to understand the purposes and risks of the study and willingly give written informed consent, or in the case of incapacitated patients, a willing legally authorized representative (LAR) is able to give written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any condition that, in the opinion of the attending physician, would place the patient or volunteer subject at undue risk by participating. Specific conditions include but are not limited to anemia prohibitive of phlebotomy, or technical considerations that would prevent acquisition of sufficient tissue for clinical use.
• Pregnant patients
• Minors < 18 years of age
• Prisoners

This is a prospective observational study of patients with burn wounds >10% TBSA requiring surgical management and/or management within a surgical critical care setting.

De-identified individual participant data (IPD), including clinical information and research sample data, may be shared with qualified researchers. Data will be stripped of direct identifiers, and a coded study ID will be used. The code key will remain at the enrolling site and will not be shared.

De-identified IPD will be available after primary analyses are complete and results are published, typically within 12-24 months after final data collection.

Data requests will be reviewed by the study steering committee. Investigators will be required to submit a data use agreement and provide documentation of institutional review/ethics oversight.